The present invention relates generally to a bleed member used in connection with a bladder member for venting an excess fluid therefrom. The present invention also relates to a bleed valve assembly which has a simple and compact structure and which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture and easy to assemble onto a bladder member. In addition, the present invention relates to a bladder member that employs such a bleed valve assembly for venting an excess fluid in the bladder member.
Bleed valves or exhaust valves are commonly used along with pump devices for inflating various articles to a desired pressure level. When excessive fluid is pumped into the article, bleed valves or exhaust valves can function to release fluid from the fluid chamber of the article. Thereby the article may obtain a desirable pressure inside the fluid chamber. The combination of bleed valves and pump devices is particularly useful in connection with inflatable cushion structures that require different interior pressures for use in different applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,708 issued to Pekar employs a typical bleed valve or exhaust valve. The bleed valve in Pekar includes a base and a movable stem received inside the base. The base and the movable stem have fluid passages therein for venting fluid therethrough. In a normal position, the stem is biased against the base by a spring to close the fluid passages so that the inflated fluid is sealed inside the valve chamber. When pressing the stem toward the base, the fluid passages in the base and the stem communicate with each other so that fluid will vent from the valve chamber.
Conventional bleed valves tend to have bulky and complex structures. Due to their bulky structures, conventional bleed valves are not well suited to compact articles, such as hand-held articles. More particularly, bulky bleed valves do not meet aesthetic design requirements for various products. Further, the complex structures of conventional bleed valves make them more expensive to manufacture.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a novel bleed valve device that has a compact and simple structure and that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, it is desirable to provide a novel bleed valve device that has a streamlined configuration that enhances aesthetic appeal.
The present invention relates to a bleed member provided in a bleed valve assembly comprising a wall member defining a fluid chamber for retaining a fluid therein. The bleed member has an aperture defined in the wall member, and a sealing member located inside the fluid chamber for selectively covering and sealing the aperture. In a preloading state, the sealing member covers and seals the aperture and, in a venting state, the sealing member is forced to be unseated from the aperture to vent fluid from the valve member. The present invention further relates to a bleed valve assembly comprising a fluid chamber for retaining a fluid therein and a bleed member for venting excess fluid from the fluid chamber.
The wall member and the sealing member may be made of a flexible material. More preferably, the sealing member is a flexible flap member capable of conforming to a flexible wall member in which the aperture is formed. To secure the relative position between the flap member and the aperture in the wall member, the flap member may be partially fixed to the wall member of the fluid chamber.
Alternatively, or in addition, the wall member and the sealing member may be made of materials which permit the sealing member to conform intimately with and to seal a corresponding portion of the wall member, thereby covering and sealing the aperture in a preloading state. Such materials should also permit the sealing member to be selectively unseated from the aperture upon application of a dislodging force to vent fluid from the fluid chamber in a venting state. In a preferred embodiment of the bleed valve assembly, the sealing member is made of a material that is both flexible as well as capable of conforming to and sealing against the wall member defining the fluid chamber.
A resilient support member may be provided inside the fluid chamber to assist in biasing the sealing member into a sealing position against the aperture. The support member can be a foam member shaped to be accommodated in the fluid chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the support member, the sealing member, and the wall member are sealed together to provide an airtight fluid chamber.
The bleed valve assembly of the present invention can further include an inlet member at least partially defined in the wall member for introducing a fluid into the fluid chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the inlet member includes a one-way valve located inside the fluid chamber. The valve has an inlet end sealingly joined to the portion of the wall member surrounding the inlet member. In addition, the valve preferably has an inlet duct fluidly communicated with the inlet member on the wall member. In one embodiment of the bleed valve assembly, the valve acts as a sealing member, thus obviating the need for a separate sealing member.
The bleed member or bleed valve assembly of the present invention can be used in connection with a fluid chamber, such as provided in or in fluid communication with a cushion member. The user may inflate the cushion member to a desired pressure level by pumping air into the fluid chamber via an integrally or separately formed pump member and thereby preload the bleed member or bleed valve assembly. If the fluid chamber or cushion member is over-inflated, the user may use the bleed member to vent excess fluid therefrom. To vent excess fluid, the user may unseat the sealing member from the aperture either by pushing the sealing member away from the wall member surrounding the aperture or by pulling the wall member surrounding the aperture away from the sealing member.
The bleed member or bleed valve assembly can be further incorporated in a bladder member according to the present invention to vent excess fluid therefrom when the bladder member is over-inflated.